Corporate body

UNESCO. Education Sector

• UNESCO. Secteur de l'éducation

1946-

An Education Section was established with the formation of UNESCO in 1945 and education-related projects commenced in 1946. The section has evolved and expanded since to become what is now the Education Sector (ED) of UNESCO. The Education Section of UNESCO was first referred to as “Sector” in 1967. The gradual evolution of the organizational structure of the sector historically occurred on an annual to biennial basis, often reflecting particular themes or focuses of the sector at the time. As of 2016, the sector encompasses the following divisions: Divisions for Policies and Lifelong Learning Systems; Division for Inclusion, Peace and Sustainable Development; Division for Education 2030 Support and Coordination; Executive Office; Global Education Monitoring Report Team. The Education Sector further encompasses 53 field offices around the world, along with six institutes and two centres, including: the International Bureau of Education (IBE); International Institute for Education Planning (IIEP); UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL); Institute for Information Technologies in Education (IITE); International Institute for Higher Education in Latin American and the Caribbean (IESALC); International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA); Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (MGIEP); International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (UNESCO-UNEVOC) and the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS).

The Education Sector is at the core of UNESCO operations and, accordingly, is the largest sector in the organization. The Sector adheres to the institutional mission to promote peace and the universal right to education. Shortly following UNESCO’s formation, in 1946 the purposes of the sector were noted as twofold, to provide a minimum standard level of education for all, and to remove illiteracy. The campaign against illiteracy and promotion of universal education both continue to be primary focuses of the Education Sector. Other campaigns directed by the Education Sector include, refugee and migrant education programs, adult education programs, guidance on teaching methods and materials, research into educational activities, promotion of international understanding and peace, equal educational opportunities and primary education. The Education Sector also implemented a number of programs over the years in response to emergencies or special circumstances, often specific to a particular region, such as field assistance for refugees from Arab states and a 1950 program to aid “war-handicapped children” following the aftermath of World War II. In more recent times, at the World Education Forum in Dakar in 2000, 164 member states pledged to achieve Education For All and identified six goals to be met by 2015, an initiative eventually coordinated by the Sector's EFA International Coordination Team.

As of July 2019, the Education Sector is focused on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4, Quality Education, which “ensure[s] inclusive and equitable quality education and promote[s] lifelong learning opportunities for all.”

Some 150 staff members work in the Education Sector in Paris, at UNESCO Headquarters. The rest of the 400 staff members worldwide are based in field offices and UNESCO’s institutes and centres specialized in education (as of June 2009). Most of UNESCO's 53 field offices have an education officer, including the four regional bureaux for education in Bangkok, Beirut, Dakar and Santiago.

Currently, UNESCO’s Education Sector follows these strategic objectives to fulfill its mission (as of June 2009):

• Providing a platform for intellectual and thought leadership for educational innovation and reform.
• Anticipating and responding to emerging trends and needs in education and develop education policy recommendations based on research evidence.
• Initiating and promoting dialogue and exchange of information among educational leaders and stakeholders.
• Promoting the development and implementation of successful educational practices, and document and disseminate successful practices.
• Developing Standards, Norms and Guidelines for action in key education areas.

Since the beginning of its existence, the Sector and its predecessors carried out a wide range of different activities and functions. For more details, please consult the authority records linked to its collections.

The mandate in the field of education goes back to the constitution of the organization which states that “the purpose of the Organization is to contribute to peace and security by promoting collaboration among the nations through education, science and culture” (UNESCO Constitution, Article 1).

The Sector in its present form (as of 2016) consists of four main Programme Divisions, in addition to the Executive Office:

• Division for Policies and Lifelong Learning Systems
• Division for Inclusion, Peace and Sustainable Development
• Division for Education 2030 Support and Coordination
• Global Education Monitoring Report Team

The title of the head of the Education Sector has evolved with changes to the sector organizational structure and (as of July 2019) Assistant Director-General”. The following individuals have served as Chief of Program Section, Director, Principle Director, Assistant Director or Assistant Director-General for the Education Sector: Kuo Yu-Shou (CHN; 1946-1948); Clarence Edward Beeby (NZL; 1948-1949); Jean Piaget (CHE; 1949-1950 [interim]); Jean Guiton (FRA; 1950, 1956, 1960, 1962, 1966-1967 [interim]); Herbert Lionel Elvin (GBR; 1950-1956); Harold Loper (USA; 1957-1960); Masunori Hiratsuka (JPN; 1960-1961); Shannon McCune (USA; 1961-1962); Gabriel Betancur-Mejia (COL; 1963-1966); Carlos Flexa Ribeiro (BRA; 1967-1970); Amadou-Mahtar M’Bow (SEN; 1970-1974); Leo Fernig (ZAF; 1974-1975 [interim]); Sema Tanguiane (USR; 1975-1988); Akihiro Chiba (JPN; 1988-1989 [interim]); Colin Nelson Power (AUS; 1989-1999); Jacques Hallak (FRA; 2000 [interim]); John Sagar Daniel (GBR; 2001-2004); Aϊcha Bah Diallo (GIN; 2001, 2005 [interim]); Peter P. Smith (USA; 2005-2006); Nicholas Burnett (GBR; 2007-2009); Qian Tang (CHN; 2010-2018); and, S. Giannini (ITA; 2018-Present).

Further information about the current activities, staff and programmes on the website of the Education Sector.

UNESCO. Division of Youth (1973 - 1990-08-30)

UNESCO. Division for the Promotion of Quality Education (2000-10-01 - 2006-07-11)

Draft

Partial

Created by Julia Pohle, June 2009. Administrative history, updates to Internal structure/genealogy, and Sources created by Arianna Shorey, 5 July 2019.

• About the Education Sector Education Sector. June 03, 2019. Accessed July 03, 2019.
• Education Sector (ED) Digital image. UNESCO Organizational Chart. January 01, 2016. Accessed July 3, 2019.
• Former Assistant Directors-General for Education. Education Sector. May 18, 2018. Accessed July 03, 2019.
• Report of the Director General, 1947-1952, C/3, UNESCO Archives, Paris France.
• Sustainable Development Goal 4 Sustainable Development Goals Knowledge Platform. Accessed July 03, 2019.
• UNESCO Staff List, 1947-1992, UNESCO Archives, Paris France.
• UNESCO Telephone Directory, 1992-2007, UNESCO Archives, Paris France.